When a Taxco maestro goes out on the town and does not... behave, the next morning they go to work and make amends by designing a "St Peter and the keys to paradise" brooch! Or at least, that's how I want to explain the creation of this specific piece by the Los Castillo. Now whether the offender was Antonio or Margot or somebody else from the family is not so important here...

How often does one find an Enrique Ledesma starburst pendant? And if one does come upon an example, how often is it of such astonishing proportions? Let me answer my own question then - not often at all! Yet here I am presenting you with one and it is spectacular. Having a huge flat-cut color-change sapphire (synthetic corundum) at its heart , the pendant shoots out eight elegant sterling rays, their slender bodies curving away from the center to end in flattened drop shapes...

What with their bows and their beading Margot de Taxco's "cornflower" earrings are the epitome of retro elegance. The set presented here is, I believe, the smaller version of the design but I love it for its easy-to-enjoy size and the wonderful patina that enhances the sculptural appeal of the floral dangles. A classic in Margot's repertoire, the pair is always "en vogue" and adds that distinct quality to one's appearance that makes heads turn...

Circa mid-century, offered here is a gorgeous set of necklace and earrings produced by Antonio Pineda. The necklace is a book-piece design shown on p. 135 of "Silver Seduction: The Art of Mexican Modernist Antonio Pineda."

This set is collector quality. Necklace measures 15 1/2" closed, wearable length. It lays perfectly on the neck and has a very luxurious feel. Earrings are 1" tall and have clips...

Circa 1950's, this Salvador Teran modernist piece can be worn either as a pendant or pin.

Measuring 2 5/8" x 2", it's a rare and spectacular piece. The stones are chrysocolla, lapis, and onyx.

Weight is 37.1 grams.

Signed and hallmarked "Salvador Sterling Mexico", with the design # 124.

In excellent vintage condition.

This c. 1949-50 sterling silver with gold vermeil necklace was designed & signed by William Spratling in Taxco, Mexico. The necklace has a wearable length of 18 inches. The pendant measures 4" across & 1 1/4" high & weighs 78 grams. This vintage hand constructed piece is in beautiful condition. This design also in gold vermeil was included in the touring museum exhibit WILLIAM SPRATLING AND THE MEXICAN SILVER RENAISSANCE and pictured p. 85 of the museum catalog written by Penny Morrill...

This handwrought sterling belt buckle designed & signed by Spratling measures 2 1/2" across and 1 1/4" high & weighs 47 grams. This 80+ year old piece is in beautiful condition with normal wear & warm patina. This buckle will fit up to a 1 inch wide belt or strap. The buckle is pictured on Phyllis Goddards' website spratlingsillver.com.

Offered on consignment..... Offered on consignment... Circa 1930's, this is a spectacular bracelet with the highly coveted and seldom seen "Moth" design which Matilde Poulat is known for. This piece, no doubt produced in Mexico City, is hallmarked with a very early "Made in Mexico Sterling". Entirely hand-wrought with superb repoussé silver work, it's an intricately detailed bracelet. At the center of the moth is an oval green stone...

Circa 1930's - early 40's, this amethyst ring is the work of Fred Davis. It's a spectacular piece with a large domed amethyst cabochon set between opposing "V's". This ring is adjustable, currently a size 6.5. The face of the ring measures 1 5/16" x 1 1/8". Weight is 16.7 grams. Signed and hallmarked with a conjoined FD and Silver Mexico. In excellent vintage condition. Amethyst has natural inclusions and quartz marbling.

Hallmarks date this whimsical Hubert Harmon repoussé pin 1944-1948.

Before moving to Mexico in the early 1940's, Harmon had been a fashion designer who worked for Schiaparelli in Paris, and for Elizabeth Arden in New York. His designs are very unique, and as he only produced work for a short time his pieces are rarely seen.

This is a spectacular piece composed of two pins connected with a long chain. There is no end to the many ways you can wear them...

Offered on consignment.....

Dating pre-1948, Doris Silver / Corpus Artisans is well known for their superb creations. I so seldom come across her work and this piece is a real tour-de-force.

This necklace features a floral design with beautiful repoussé silver work and a gold vermeil finish which is perfect.

Measures 16" closed, wearable length...

Spratling designed this quite rare AZTEC MASK pin in the 1930's. The pin measures 3 inches across X 1 1/4 inches high & weighs 20 grams. The WS hallmarks on the pin date the piece to the 1930's. In the 1940's Spratling added additional elements to this design as pictured on Phyllis Goddards' site spratlingsilver.com. Please see the photo of the later design from Goddard's site for comparison. The piece is in great condition. The safety on the pin back is in fine working order.

From his first design period, here is a William Spratling butterfly pin with bronze markings. Hallmarks date 1940-1944. A book-piece design shown on p. 39 of Spratling Silver: A Field Guide, this pin measures 3 1/4" x 2". Weight is 18.8 grams. Signed and hallmarked with the Spratling Made in Mexico Print Circle and Spratling Silver. In fine vintage condition. Pin closes with a roller.

This amethyst ring is an iconic Antonio Pineda design, shown on p. 154 of Silver Seduction. It's a mid-century piece, collector quality, with perfectly matched amethyst cylinders which are channel set in a thick and chunky 970 silver setting. The stones are perfectly matched in color, and this ring can be worn by either a man or a woman. Measures 7 1/4 on a ring sizer, although because of the thickness and width of the band it will fit slightly smaller...

This showpiece from Margot de Taxco is supremely rare. I've not seen another. It's a necklace which instantly commands attention.

The huge centerpiece can be used as a pendant necklace, or detached from the chain to serve as a pin.

It is a spectacular necklace, with a huge almost Foo Dog design with earrings...

This sculptural Spratling design measures 3" X 1 3/4" and will accommodate a 1 inch strap. Each hand carved shell is held in place by 4 eye-catching sterling silver studs. The buckle is in beautiful condition with a warm patina. Signed with a script WS & 925 dating the piece to early 1950's. This design is pictured on Phyllis Goddards' site spratingsilver.com & in her book Spratling SILVER: A FIELD GUIDE. Also pictured on p. 173 of MEXICAN JEWELRY by Greta Pack and Mary Davis.

This wonderfully detailed pin is by Edmond-Henri Becker, one of the best-known French medalists from the turn of the last century. The front shows Joan of Arc (patron saint of France and of soldiers) in profile, also a shield decorated with a sword, a crown, and 2 fleurs-de-lis. Above her head is a banner saying “Jehanne d’Arc” and “1429”. The back shows a banner with a figure which is hard to make out, and two people praying. Also shown are a spear, the pommel of a sword, and a leafy ...

This sculpturally beautiful design is signed with Spratling's earliest hallmarks dating the piece to c. 1933-38. Each hand forged link is made of solid sterling silver giving the piece a hefty, yet wearable weight of 170 grams. The necklace is 15 3/4" long X 7/8 of an inch wide. Excellent condition with a gorgeously aged patina. The design is pictured on Phyllis Goddard's spratlingsilver.com.

This vintage hand-forged tie bar & belt buckle were designed by Hector Aguilar c. 1940-50's. The buckle measures 1 3/4" X 1 1/2". The money clip/tie bar is 1 3/4" long. Both are in excellent condition and together weigh 45 grams. Each piece carries Aguilar's hallmarks. The buckle is pictured on p. 107 of SILVER MASTERS OF MEXICO by Penny Morrill. Great gift idea!

This beautifully hand forged pin was designed by Mexico City artist Matilde Poulat c. 1930-40's. The pin measures 2" X 2" & weighs 20 grams. Penny Morrill explains on p. 217 of her book MEXICAN SILVER that the horizontal "S" is the symbol of happiness & the cascabeles signify fidelity. The pin is in excellent, unpolished condition. Both the pin back & safety lock are in fine working order. Signed Matl & 925 on reverse. MATL designs are included in the permanent collection of Mexican silver at ...

Frank Patania Sr. (1899-1964) designed this textured necklace in the 1950's. The center panel measures 1 1/4" high x 1 5/8" across. The wearable length is 17" and can be adjusted down to 15" if desired. The necklace weighs 46 grams & is in beautiful condition with a warm, aged patina. Patania's FP STERLING hallmarks are found on the back of the necklace.

Spratling designed this lovely hand carved rosewood necklace and bracelet in the 1940's. Both pieces are inlaid with thick sterling silver wire. The necklace has a wearable length of 15 1/2". The rosewood crescent is 4 1/4" across. The front of the bracelet is 1 1/2" high. It will fit up to a 6 1/2" wrist. The back opening is 1 1/4". Both bracelet and necklace are in beautiful condition and each carry the 1940's Spratling hallmarks. The necklace & bracelet are pictured on spratlingsi...

This Antonio Pineda necklace is composed of eleven diamond shaped pyramidal onyx stones which are framed by silver "X" links. The clasp is a tongue in box which is a silver pyramidal shape as well. It's a design which is rarely seen, and a superb modernist piece which is fully articulated and lays perfectly on the neck. It's difficult to measure, so I've shown it against a ruler. I would say it fits more like a choker necklace and is meant to be worn higher on the neck. Weight is a hefty 11...

Here is a sweet ring, which comes out of the era when Edwardian styles were sliding into Art Deco. (1920s – 1935-ish) It is marked “925” for sterling silver, and set with a ruby, birthstone for those born in July. Rubies have been called “the queen of stones and the stone of kings.” The ring has the mellow patina of age, and is size 6. It could be re-sized. The photos are part of the description; please examine them carefully. Thanks! We do lay-away. Shipping, handling & insurance with...

Constructed in the mid 1930's, this early 980 sterling Spratling design measures 7" long and will fit up to a 6 3/4" wrist. The piece weighs 51 grams and is in excellent condition with a beautifully aged patina. This design is featured on page 60 of WILLIAM SPRATLING AND THE MEXICAN SILVER RENISSANCE by Penny Morrill. The bracelet also appears on Goddards' spratlingsilver.com where it is noted that Spratling referred to this design as the "pulsera de cocos". Hallmarked on the reverse WS TAXCO 98...

The early Aguilar hallmarks on this piece indicate it was designed and made between 1948-1955. Weighing 90 grams the bracelet measures 1" X 7" but will comfortably fit up to a 6 3/4" wrist. The bracelet has a beautifully aged patina with some surface wear & a pin head size ding noticed on close inspection. This bracelet is pictured on p. 64 of SILVER MASTERS OF MEXICO by Penny C. Morrill.

This carved rough cut fire opal ring was constructed circa 1950's and is a size 6 1/2. The rectangular stone is 3/4" X 5/8". The stone is set in a silver frame and rises 3/8" high. Hallmarked ANTONIO TAXCO SILVER MADE IN MEXICO. The worn outline of the eagle stamp can be seen. Some surface wear on close inspection. Beautiful colors within seem to dance as the ring moves in the light.

Spratling was known to keep pet parrots and other animals on his ranch in Taxco. This handmade and finely detailed inspiration is called Lorenzo. He measures 4 1/2" long and weighs 60 grams. The bezel set amethyst measures 1 3/4" long. Both silver and stone are in beautiful condition. Spratling 1940's hallmarks are on the reverse. This design is pictured in MEXICAN SILVER by Penny Morrill & Carole Berk. It's also pictured on Phyllis Godard's spratlingsilver.com where she calls this design Lorenz...

This rare, vintage, hand forged silver necklace was designed by Taxco, Mexico artist William Spratling. The necklace is 18" long and weighs 80 Grams. The piece is in beautiful condition. The slide in clasp is in fine working order as is the attached safety chain. The WS hallmark with eagle 30 stamp is on the clasp. This design appears to be Spratling's take on the Byzantine design.

This early, hand-forged sterling silver rope buckle designed by Taxco, Mexico artist William Spratling measures 1 3/4" X 1 3/4" and weighs 35 grams. The buckle will take up to a 1 3/8" wide strap. The condition is excellent with a beautifully aged patina. Spratling hallmarks on reverse.

This bold sterling silver belt buckle was designed and signed in the 1940's by Taxco, Mexico designer William Spratling. Weighing a hefty 35 grams the buckle measures 1 7/8" X 1 3/4" & will take a 1 1/4" wide strap. Beautiful condition and patina. No dents or dings. Fully hallmarked WS TAXCO 980 on the reverse. This design is pictured on p.35 of MEXICAN SILVER by Penny Morrill & Carole Berk, p. 172 of MEXICAN JEWELRY by Pack & Davis & on p. 108 of SPRATLING SILVER by Cederwall & Riney.

This bracelet measures 7" long with the largest charm measuring 2" and is in excellent condition. One charm carries the hallmark SPRATLING OF MEXICO SILSON INC. During their 5 year partnership in the 1940's, Spratling provided his original designs to Victor Silson who produced the designs using silver plated pewter. In her very informative book MEXICAN SILVER, Penny Morrill provides details about the years of the partnership and production of the Spratling designs.

Pekka Piekainen modernist sterling silver ring

Finland

1974

This solid and substantial ring weighs 25 grams

Size 7

Overall dimensions - 1 1/2" x 1 5/8"

A true showstopper in excellent condition

Hallmarked appropriately

Aguilar uses turquoise cabs in this unusual example of his braided wire bracelet which is most often seen with silver domes at the bracelet's ends. Also unusual is the petite size of the cuff. The inside measures 4 3/4" end to end with a one inch gap opening. It is 3/8" wide at the center front and 3/4" high at the turquoise cabs. The wire design is somewhat flexible allowing for a bit more length. The patina is excellent. The stones are rich in color. One stone has a pinhead size nick. Both the...

Spratling often used the butterfly in his jewelry and object designs. His rare bezel set amethyst and sterling silver tray measures 3 3/4" X 3 3/4" and weighs 72 grams. The piece is in beautiful condition. Spratling's hallmarks and eagle 30 impressed on the reverse.

This sterling silver brooch and pendant was handmade c. 1960's by Mexico City artist Anna Morelli (1921-2008). The piece measures 3 1/4" X 2 1/2" and is in beautiful condition. Fully signed by the artist on the reverse. In 1960 Morelli was an early founding member of the Bazar del Sabado in Mexico City along with Ricardo Salas Poulat where she sold her earliest jewelry designs. Morelli achieved international fame when she was asked to design the jewelry for the Conan the Destroyer film. Mexican...

The disk that comprises the top of this sterling silver ring has a lot going on. Its highly textured design evokes basketry that is visible underneath as well as from above. It's a bold, dynamic design supported by sturdy construction and expert workmanship. The inner ring bears the sterling mark of 925 and a maker’s mark composed of two captial Gs, the second one upside-down. Unfortunately as of this writing the maker is unknown, so we can't give the credit due this talented metalsmith. The ...

Following in the tradition of Mexico City “jeweled” jewelry closely associated with Matilde Poulat, this Mexican Deco silver and amethyst cross pendant necklace is not signed for maker yet its rich patina, beautiful stones and exceptional chain more than compensate for the absence. I could hardly exaggerate how rare it is to find a repousse chain of this beauty, let alone one adorned with richly colored amethyst cabs. The stones’ circular shape is cleverly reflected in the beading on the c...

Working out of San Miguel de Allende, Carmen Beckmann is one of the “second generation” (if I may be allowed the term here) designer / silversmiths who contributed to Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance. In her work, Beckmann is often inspired by ancient Maya and Aztec motifs to which she adds her unique modernist “twist” - quite successfully in my opinion at least. The ring at hand, however, habitually referred to as a “cha cha” ring, I always associate with the roaring epoch of C...

Referred to as the “shells” or sometimes even “snails” bracelet, Margot de Taxco’s des. 5104 is a series of fleshy, perfectly swirling repousse links that feel so comfortable around the wrist, you might take them as an extension of your body. The example at hand vibrates with that warm light only well-aged, well-loved silver acquires and the thick sterling sheet used to craft the bracelet has allowed it to mature without burdening it with the scars and blemishes of age. Measuring a wea...

Carved in translucent amethyst the “mask” adorning the Piedra y Plata silver ring presented here bespeaks Felipe Martinez’s talent as a sculptor. His jewelry, always combining sterling with the most amazing stones, showcases some of the best lapidary work in the world of vintage Mexican jewelry and his “masks”, I consider some of the most evocative, spiritual examples in the field. And even though Martinez’s creations are usually rooted in Mexico’s rich archeological past, he is un...

Measuring 19 1/2" long this stunning piece was designed by Frederick Davis c.1930-40's. The necklace weighs 75 grams and is comprised of jade beads and hand tooled silver balls of graduated size. The largest silver ball is 1/2". The largest jade beads are 3/4" long. The silver balls appear not to have been polished for decades and the patina is gorgeous. A few pin head size dings noticed on close inspection with a loupe. Davis is known to have collected ancient Mexican artifacts and stones inco...

Antonio Pineda cuffs don't surface very often and this specific design is even more difficult to find. An ode to the art of a-symmetry, the cuff is wrought in the maestro's favorite fine ,.970 alloy and quite substantial. The stone that adorns its widest end, rich in greens and blues, is agate, I think, but it might be a very special kind of turquoise as well. Warm patina, perfectly conveyed less-is-more attitude and Antonio's exquisite finishing are all present here to please the eye. The cuff ...

A stunning Antonio Pineda modernist bracelet, its rectangular, slick links held together with bezel-set carnelian connectors, each one of which features a daringly protruding silver “tongue”. I love the gutsyness of the design and the mischievous sense of humor behind it but I am also taken with the rich color in the stones which changes hue as it responds to the changing light. Definitely an eye-catcher and one of Antonio’s designs that don’t come up very often, the bracelet measures 7 ...

Made in the very late 1940s or in the opening years of the 1950s at the latest, this Marcel Boucher sterling silver necklace is a Mexican piece from the renowned designer’s “Parisina” line. Parisina pieces are not easy to find - Boucher had them made in Mexico for a few years around WWII because the war effort had put restrictions in the availability and use of silver. Yet this specific design, I have never encountered before . Its floral links are nicely cast and oxidized and I love the s...

An early Mexico City (I will suggest) maestro, P. Ochoa must have been a contemporary of Matilde Poulat’s and M. Velazquez’s. His work, wrought in the same “Mexico City” style of repoussage which for me represents the country’s Arts and Crafts version in jewelry-making, is very rare to come upon but, I think, of the highest quality. All of this pieces that I have seen over the years seemed to revolve around the “ancient mask” theme - in our case, in the smaller, “masquette” ver...

Handwrought in the early 1940's, this trapezoid design by Spratling measures 17" long and 1" high. The panels catch and reflect light beautifully as the wearer moves about. The necklace is in excellent condition. Spratling hallmarks are found on the slide-in clasp and on one panel.

One of the few female designers of Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know of, Erika Hult de Corral excelled in the creation of slick abstract and brutalist jewelry. She started creating her own work in Taxco’s “middle period” and continued being active in the post-1980 years as well. Big, bold and beautiful, the result of the artist’s few yet perfectly placed brushstrokes, the dove-shaped pendant at hand conveys that precious sense of elegant, unimpeded motion. Measuring 3”...

This brilliant vintage squash blossom necklace is anecdotally from the 1950s but stylistically typical of the 1970s (the leaves surrounding the turquoise cabochons were popular at that period.) It is sterling silver and turquoise but unmarked. The 1/4” sterling beads are bench-made. The necklace is 27” in length, with a naja that measures 2 5/8 in width by 3 inches in length. The necklace is set with 17 turquoises. The seven ornamenting the naja are 3/8 by ½ inches in size, and the ten su...

Circa mid-century, this heavy chunky modernist onyx ring was produced by Antonio Pineda.

It's a rarely seen design, wide, solid, and absolutely killer, with inlaid onyx in a 970 silver setting.

Measures a 6 on a ring sizer. The side is quite wide, so may fit a little more snug than that. The silver has a sleek mirror-like finish.

Weight is 12.1 grams.

Signed and hallmarked with the Antonio Taxco Crown, 970 Silver Sterling Mexico, and the eagle ...

One of my favorite sub-genres in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry includes those early Deco repousse brooches wrought in the usually referred to as the “Mexico City style”, the most famous proponent of which is, undoubtedly, Matilde Poulat. Quite often anonymous, as in our case, these pieces can be fascinatingly weird, at times even bordering on the surreal. Who is this bearded man with the thick facial features, his eyes cast down as if in intense concentration, and what is this ...

Set in a raised bezel on a hand-hammered sterling platform the “mask” in this vintage Carmen Beckmann brooch is carved out of dyed calcite, often - and mistakenly - referred to as “jade”. Oxidation and a geometric glyph applique add complexity to the design and the portrait’s minimalist rendition brings to mind the more austere of ancient artifacts unearthed from the Mexican soil. I believe that this brooch comes out of a line of similar brooches Beckmann created, sometimes using anci...

In the last couple of years I found myself drawn closer and closer to the jewelry created by the Los Ballesteros workshop. I am especially attracted to their “mask” pieces in all the forms they can be found as well as to what I like to call their “hinged bangle” bracelets. I consider both kinds the absolute jewel in the taller’s creative crown and it seems that there is always something new and different to discover. The perfectly carved tiger’s eye “Joker” pendant is a piece I h...

Symbols of hope for fresh, new beginnings swallows are an integral part of the advent of Spring in my home country and I grew up waiting for a glimpse of their bifurcated tails and soft, white bellies as a sign that the end of the school year and the fun-filled days on the beach were not far away. In Victorian symbolism the birds express enduring love and loyalty and the promise of a safe return back home and it is these hopes the set of Mexican silver earrings at hand encapsulates. Very sculptu...

Based in Mexico City Plateria FarFan created some of the most impressive and well-made collar necklaces, many in the multi-row "mesh" style and others in puzzle “Cleopatra style” designs. The necklace presented here is one of the latter, a pretty handsome one at that and a favorite of mine for the comfortable, just-at-home way in lies around the neck. I consider myself most lucky because I have also the matching bracelet to it and even though the two will be listed separately, there is nothi...

With delicately carved features, this silver and tiger’s eye Egyptian Revival “Cleopatra” bolo tie is a small work of art that came out of the Los Ballesteros workshop. One of the best - and definitely the most persistent - Taxco talleres involved in the creation of exquisite “mask” jewelry, the Los Ballesteros used an array of semi-precious and hard- stones to create serene, out-of-this-world effigies for brooches, rings, bracelets and pendants. This is, however, my first bolo tie b...

Ethereal, barely touching the ground, light as a feather and lost in the music to which she is dancing, this vintage Marcel Boucher ballerina was crafted in the mid-1940s in Mexico for the renowned designer’s Parisina line. Wrought in sterling, she has a teardrop piece of lapis for her bodice and she is magnificent. Generous in size though light enough to be worn on a silk blouse, the brooch has all the qualities of the best minimalist designs - economy of lines, honesty of materials and stron...

Steeped in ancient Italian lore, the “cimaruta” pendant might have started its life in the world of magic yet somewhere along its long life, it became adopted as a talisman warding off the “evil eye” and protecting against witchcraft in general. The Flli Coppini example presented here dates in the first decades of the 20th c. and is the next best alternative to the impossible to obtain ancient pieces. Coupled with an appropriate for the genre chain with many figural links, as you can see...

Inspired by ancient Inca motifs this 1950s Industria Peruana silver and 18k yellow gold necklace is a classic example of the best jewelry that came out of Peru around the middle of the 20th c.. Hand-hammered sterling links feature figural appliques on their slightly concave faces, the same combination of silver and gold also used to form the circular connectors. Craftsmanship of the highest quality and attention to detail and finishing have contributed to Industria’s reputation - along with Gr...

I have said many times in the past that I consider the Los Ballesteros workshop Taxco’s foremost creator of the so-called “mask” jewelry. And among their best are their hinged bangle bracelets, a fantastic example of which I am presenting here. The effigy is carved out of tiger’s eye, a stone which creates a magical sensation with its molten gold, glistening caramel and rich chocolate browns. Serene under its heavy, ornate headdress the “face” looks as if in deep sleep, its features ...